LSU pitcher Aaron Nola throws to the plate during the first inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament regional game June 1 against Sam Houston State in Baton Rouge.

At first glance, there is something strangely unique about the 2013 version of an LSU team in the College World Series.

There is only one remarkable starting pitcher. LSU's previous six national champions had two very good starters and sometimes three, and so did most of the previous 15 entries to the CWS from LSU.

This one has sophomore right-hander Aaron Nola (12-0, 1.68 ERA), who will start Sunday night against UCLA, and two question marks as far as members of the top three rotation.

Even last year's team that did not quite make it to Omaha was better in the top two of its rotation with Kevin Gausman, who finished 12-2 with a 2.77 ERA before joining the Baltimore Orioles as the fourth player picked in the 2012 draft, and Nola, who finished 7-4 with a 3.61 ERA.

Junior right-hander Ryan Eades, who will likely start LSU's second game on Tuesday, has nice numbers at 8-1 with a 2.79 ERA, but they are deceiving of late. He has not gotten out of the fourth inning in three of his last four starts. In late April, he failed to get to the fifth in back-to-back starts. He can be very good, but you can't just assume he will pitch very well as you can with Nola and you could with Gausman.

On the 2009 championship team, LSU had Anthony Ranaudo (12-3) and Louis Coleman (14-2). In 2000, LSU had Brian Tallett (15-3) and Hunter Gomez (9-1) and by the end of the year, Trey Hodges (5-2). In 1997, it was Patrick Coogan (14-3) and Doug Thompson (12-3). In 1996, it was Eddie Yarnall (11-1), Brett Laxton (8-2) and Patrick Coogan (6-0). In 1993, it was Laxton (12-1) and Mike Sirotka (12-6). In 1991, it was Sirotka (11-0), Chad Ogea (14-5) and Paul Byrd (8-3).

Current sophomore left-hander Cody Glenn (7-2, 2.41 ERA) was better than Eades over the last several weeks of the regular season as he went no less than 6.2 innings in his last five starts. He beat Ole Miss on May 16 in the last weekend of the regular season and Alabama on May 22 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament without walking a batter in either game and allowing just one run over the two games.

But Glenn got suspended for the NCAA Regional. He returned for the Super Regional, but he was not needed as LSU swept the first two games against Oklahoma behind Nola and a a so-so, four-inning performance by Eades and excellent pitching from the bullpen.

Eades has not won a game since he beat Florida with six innings of work on May 4. Glenn has not pitched in a game since May 22. Who knows? Both may pitch well. If just one pitches well, LSU could still be alive at 2-1 in the CWS or at 3-0 as the bullpen has been remarkable throughout the season.

Perhaps one will or both will rise up in Omaha as Hodges did in 2000 after an erratic season and took the MVP award. If not, LSU can rely on its bullpen.

Senior left-handed Closer Chris Cotton is the Greg Maddux of college baseball at 4-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 16 saves - one short of establishing the school record. He doesn't throw hard, but he has an uncanny 45 strikeouts against three walks.

Junior right-hander Nick Rumbelow (1-0, 3.41 ERA) throws very hard and has been consistent over the last several weeks of the season. Senior right-hander Joey Bourgeois (3-2, 2.25 ERA) and junior right-hander Will LaMarche (3-0, 3.42 ERA), who got the win over Oklahoma on Saturday in relief, are also good. Junior right-hander Kurt McCune (4-1, 2.66 ERA) has been effective as well. Senior lefty Brent Bonvillain (3-0, 2.76 ERA) could start if needed. He started and defeated both Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament and Louisiana-Lafayette in the NCAA Regional.

LSU pitches well enough from top to bottom to win its seventh national championship.

This is one of LSU's faster teams to reach Omaha as Laird and center fielder Andrew Stevenson can run with anyone.

The Tigers lead all CWS teams with a .308 team batting average and with 6.6 runs a game. They also lead all entries with a .980 fielding percentage.

The coach, Paul Mainieri, has one of the better feels for the game as it's happening, and he is adept at using his bench. LSU is healthy again and deep with extra outfielders like Jared Foster and Chris Sciambra and the versatile Tyler Moore, whose pinch-hit double gave LSU a 1-0 lead in the eighth last week against first round pick Jonathan Gray before a 2-0 win.

This team has a little bit of everything, a few great players, a bunch of very good ones and a great coach. The Tigers could definitely win it all.

If LSU does win No. 7, it will have little to do with luck and everything to do with balance.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most Popular

Most Commented

More Headlines

Most Viewed

Photo Galleries

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

LSU's balance could win it national title No. 7

At first glance, there is something strangely unique about the 2013 version of an LSU team in the College World Series.